Cowtk ol



Jan. 13. 1925.

E. J. RUDIO FAN CONTROL Filed July 23. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 1 Jan. 13. 1925.

E. J. RUDIO FAN CONTROL Filed July 23. 1923 2 Sheets-Sheet 2 Patented Jan, 13, 1925 UNITED STATES EDWARD JOHN some, or LCJITISVILLE, KENTUCKY.

FAN ooiurnot.

Application filed July 23, 1923.

pending upon the temperature of the enginc.

An important object of the invention is to provide a device of this character having tlierlnostatically operated. means for rendering the same operative or inoperative and for simultaneously operating a signal to indicate whether the same is in or out of operation to thereby indicate the general temperature of the engine.

A further object of theinvention is to provide a device of this character which may be cheaply and goodly produced, which will be simple and durable in construction and operation and a general improvement in the art.

These and other objects I attain by the construction shown in the accompanying drawings, wherein for the purpose of illustration is shown a preferred embodiment of my invention and wherein Figure 1 is a side elevation showing ap paratus constructed in accordance with my invention applied to an internal combustion engine, the engine and its radiator being indicated in dotted lines;

Figure 2 is a section on the line 2-2 of Figure 1;

Figure is an enlarged sectional view taken through the pulley showing the construction thereof;

Figure 4: is a sectional view on the line 4-4L of Figure 1, showing the construction of the switch; and

Figure 5 is a sectional view showing the construction of the thermostat container.

Referring now more particularly to the drawings, the numeral indicates an in ternal combustion engine, 11 the radiator thereof, and 12 a connection between the upper end of the radiator and the upper end of the cooling jacket of the engine, The

Serial No. 653,402.

engine is provided with a fan 12 and driving pulley 13 mounted upon the usual fan bracket 141: with which engines of this type are supplied. In accordance with my invention the fan bracket 14 has directed through the opening 15 thereof a sleeve 16 having at its inner end a shoulder 17. Atthe opposite side of the bracket the sleeve 16 is threaded, as indicated at 18, for a clamping nut 19 which is employed to clamp the sleeve against rotation with rela tion to the bracket, a plate 20 being clamped between the nut and the bracket 14% for a pur 'iose presently to appear.

The outer end of the sleeve has a pulley 13 mounted thereon, the pulley being held in position by a nut 21. threaded upon the outer end of the sleeve and abutting the outer end of the pulley which is provided with a cone clutch face 22 coacting with the clutch face 23 carried by the fan 12. The fan 12 is mounted upon the forward end of a shaft 24 directed through the sleeve 16, forward movement of the fan upon the shaft 2 1 being limited by a stop member or nut The inner end of the shaft 24 has mounted. thereon a collar 26, inward movement of which is limited by a head 27 formed on the shaft. This collar is engaged by a shifting fork 28.

Mounted upon the bracket 14 of the engine is a rigid support 29 to which the fork 28 is pivoted adjacent its lower end as in dicated at 30. Above the pivot point the fork is engaged by one end of a spring 31 the opposite end of which engages the plate 20, the spring constantly tending to urge the fork in the direction of the arrow in Figure 1. Secured to the engine head by means of a bracket 32 rigid-to the engine head is a plate Extending outwardly from the plate 33 is a support 34 upon which is pivoted for vertical movement a bell crank lever. ()ne arm 35 of this bell crank lever is connectedv with the upper end of the fork 28'by a link 36 which is adjustable as to lengtl'i and is shown in the present instance as composed of two sections connected by a turn buckle.

Extending outwardly from the plate 33 are a pair of vertically spaced horizontal supports 37 and 88, the lower support 38 having in its outer end an upwardly extend. ing end portion 39 which is secured to the outer or forward end of the support 37. Suspended from the upper support member 37 is an expansible element 40 of a thermostat,

which thermostat includes a fluid storage chamber 41 connected with the expansible section and disposed in a fitting 42 inserted in the connection 12 between the upper end of the water jacket of the engine and the upper end of the radiator. As the fluid within the container 41 heats, it will be obvious that the element 40 will expandand the lower end thereof approach the lower support 38 fromwhich it is normally spaced. Connected to the lower end of this expansible member is a vertical push rod 43 which extends through and is guided by the lower support 38. Secured to the under surface of the lower support is an arm 44 to the outer end of which is connected a link 45. To the lower end of the push rod 43 a lever 46 is pivoted intermediate its ends, one end of this lever being pivotally connected with the link 45 and the opposite end thereof being engaged by one end of a' link 47 the opposite end of which engages the other arm 48 r of the bell crank. The link 47 is made adjustable as to length.

Mounted upon the plate 33 above the bell crank lever is a switch 49 including a pair of spaced electrodes 50, one of which is connected in circuit with a suitable source of power and a signal, the circuit being open between the contacts. The switch further includes a shiftable member 51 for completing the circuit between the contacts, which shiftable member is normally held out of engagement with the contacts by a spring 52/ This shiftable member is connected, as at 53, with the arm 48 of the bell crank lever and accordingly upon downward movement of this arm the circuit will be completed.

Downward movement of the arm 48,is accomplished by the heating of the fluid of the thermostat and the consequent expansion of the expansible section 40 thereof. The downward movement of the lower end of this section causes the push rod 43 to be depressed with the result that the end of the lever connected with the arm 48 is depressed and this arm is moved downwardly. Simultaneously, the arm 35 of the bell crank lever is moved in a horizontal direction and its motion is transmitted through the link36 to the shifting fork 28, with the result that the lower end of this fork moves inwardly toward the engine and the shaft 24 is moved inwardly to bring the clutch face 23 of the fan 12 into engagement with the clutch face 22 of the pulley 13. The pulley 13 will be continuously driven by a belt or the like.

I do not, however, wish to be understood as limiting myself to this structure since any form of drive may be employed. The device being otherwise capable of a considerable range of change and modification in its structure without in any manner departing from the spirit of my invention I do not wish to be understood as limiting myself to such specific structure as hereinbefore set forth except as hereinafter claimed.

I claim:

1. A fan mounting for the cooling fans of automobiles, comprising a fan bracket, a sleeve mounted in the bracket and held against rotation with relation thereto, a pulley rotatably mounted upon the sleeve and provided upon its outer end with a clutch, a shaft rotatably directed through the sleeve. a fan rigidly mounted on the forward end of the shaft and having at its rear face a clutch for engagement with the clutch of the pulley, a lever pivotally mounted upon said fan bracket and engaging the opposite end of the shaft with one end, a spring for shift ing said lever in a direction engaging the clutch elements and a thermostat engaged with the lever to operate the same.

2. In combination with the fan of an internal combustion engine cooling system and a pulley for the fan, the fan and pulley having coacting clutch members, and a member to which the fan is fixed shiftable longitudinally to engage and disengage the clutch members, a thermostat operated by the temperature of the water of the cooling system of the engine, a member shifted longitudinally by said thermostat, a bell crank lever, a lever connecting one arm of said bell crank lever and the longitudinally shiftable memher to which the fan is fixed, a spring engaging said lever and shifting the same in a direction engaging the coacting clutch members of the fan and pulley, the other arm of said bell crank lever being operatively connected to said thermostatically operated member.

3. A fan mounting for the cooling fans of automobiles including a pulley for the fan including one section of a clutch, the fan having the other section of the clutch, a spring normally maintaining said clutch sections engaged, and a thermostat operatively connected with the fan to shift the clutch sections out of engagement.

In testimony whereof I hereunto afiix my signature.

EDWARD JOHN RUDIO. 

